


Origins

by rosedarkling



Series: The Sataivlis Files [1]
Category: Deep-Sea Prisoner, Mogeko, Okegom, funamusea, 海底囚人, 海底囚人 | Deep-Sea Prisoner, 灰色庭園 | Haiiro Teien | The Gray Garden
Genre: Blood and Violence, Drugging, How it all began, Mild Gore, Multi, Non-Canon Origin, Origin Story, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:33:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29001516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosedarkling/pseuds/rosedarkling
Summary: Every story has it's beginning. Some are more sweet than others, and some can leave a bitter taste. This is the origin tale of two devils.
Relationships: Ivlis/Satanick (Gray Garden), Reficul/Sin (Gray Garden)
Series: The Sataivlis Files [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867051
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. Devil's Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning, good people! You are probably wondering why there is suddenly a new series for this already big series thing going on. Well, I have always wondered exactly how Satanick and Ivlis met. And now with the help of friends, I have an idea of where I would like to take this story. So I figured let's go on a little journey with some origin stories. ;) 
> 
> This will probably be a shorter one compared to the others in the Sataivlis series. Of course, I have now re-ordered how the series plays out, so this is technically the prequel or the first part in the series. 
> 
> I have also discovered while writing about Reficul and Sin in this chapter just how cute the two of them are together, so that is a lovely thing for me to explore writing for them more. <3 
> 
> Anywho, I hope you enjoy this little, dark tale sprinkled in with some light moments. Again, sprinkled in. ;) Love you all, and God bless! I am having the time of my life in this fandom! <3

Everything was going as beautifully as he had imagined and hoped it would. Well, of course it was – _he_ was the one throwing this ball, after all. His magnificence could not be outdone by something as a simple trip-up in his plans. Thankfully, that did not seem to be the case, and the devil lord of the Pitch Black World could not be prouder as he stared out across the large dance hall filled with a sea of devils, demons, and the like. The main event was to have it be a meeting, but that was far too plain and stuffy. That would not do for the ruling devils of the surrounding realms. It was simply not enough to invite only a handful of rulers; Satanick wanted a celebration! He enjoyed such festivities and the flourish of decorations, music, and tasty goodies galore. Some may say it was over-eccentric or frivolous to spend such time, money, and preparations for a one-night event. But this was marvelous Satanick! He simply could not do things without some grandiose excitement.

Yes, everything was going beautifully. Satanick loved to see the wide array of denizens from his world comingling with others that had arrived. It was not a large gathering, per se, but it did fill the ruler’s heart knowing that the ballroom was lively once again.

Well, he supposed being a wallflower wouldn’t do. He had to make his rounds about greeting all of his guests.

His long black cape swishing behind him, Satanick made his rounds greeting and chatting with those he passed by. From what he could see, practically every devil he had called to come was here; some had even brought their spouses with them, which Satanick found adorable. However, he realized that not everyone devil had brought someone along, such as that one from the Gray world. The poor thing looked as if he wanted to shrivel up and die as he tried to hide himself in a corner of the room. Satanick could not help but find such a thing amusing at the tall, hideaway invitee. It would be quite fun to go tease him, but Satanick chose to refrain - at least, for now; there was a plethora of others he had to greet first that were a bit more sociable than that devil.

Making his rounds, Satanick soon found another wallflower like himself, but one just as beautiful as he was. He lightly chuckled at that thought, his black dress shoes lightly echoing the marbled flooring. Reaching up, he readjusted the white ruffles of his jabot. He had to make sure he presented himself stunningly to the wife of a fellow devil. As he got closer, the woman noticed Satanick approaching, and her already sweet smile spread across her lips even further. Her hands were clasped delicately in front of her waist. Now within hearing range, Sin greeted the Devil Lord. “Good evening, Satanick. This is a lovely little gathering you’ve put together.”

Feeling his ego become inflated even more, the devil could not help but grin at such pleasantries. “Thank you, dear Sin. I’m glad it’s to your liking.” Now directly in front of her, Satanick reached out with his right hand to slide Sin’s left into his. Bending down ever so slightly, he raised her pale skin to meet his lips, offering a small greeting kiss. Formalities were important, after all. Placing a soft kiss to her knuckles, he lowered her hand back down, and she delicately slipped it away back to her original position. Satanick raised his head to stare down at her with deep purple eyes that were reminiscent of a phlox flower.

“You look as beautiful as ever,” Satanick commented down at the petite woman – well, petite if one did not count her incredibly long snake tail that helped raise her up whenever she desired. She did look quite stunning in this pure white dress with some lacy edges. The light mint stitching on the garment even complimented the similar color of her long, flowing hair. 

The woman gave a gentle smile that reached her bright red eyes. “Oh, Satanick, you flatter me.” With a playful giggle, she added, “Just don’t let Reficul-sama hear you say that. She gets very protective over me.” Satanick could hear the immense joy she took in something as simple as saying her wife’s name, and a true statement, no less. Mostly everyone in this room knew whom this gorgeous snake belonged to, and they would be wise to not make any sudden movements against such a beauty lest the queen devil needed to make heads roll. The way Sin’s bright eyes gleamed hinted that she, too, knew how much a threat her beloved could impose upon others. Despite her sweet smile, she seemed to revel in this knowledge; Satanick could appreciate such a thing.

Chuckling at their little banter, Satanick continued on. “Speaking of the queen, where is she? I only saw her for a brief moment before she disappeared again.” It would be quite rude of her to have left, especially if having left her wife here all alone. Satanick chuckled at that ludicrous idea; there was simply no way Reficul would do such a thing to someone so treasured.

Sin nodded, her smile never fading from her lips. “Yes, you’re correct; she had to run out for a moment. She had to deal with her new pet.”

“Oh?” Satanick asked, his interest piqued. “I had heard from her that she had acquired a pet, but I have yet to actually see him. Is he behaving?” The devil lord could not help but grin at this casual exchange talking about one’s possessions. He had heard from Reficul herself that she would train this pet to her specifications until it was no longer an airhead, but he had yet to see or hear how the progress was going. Getting some information from the next best source as the wife would be more than enough to satiate Satanick’s inner gossip for the time being. Besides, this “pet” was actually another dignified guest that had yet to make his appearance.

That wouldn’t do, now would it?

Letting out a tiny sigh, Sin tilted her head to the side as she thought for a moment, her light green hair sliding down her dress. “Well, I suppose it’s going alright, though Reficul-sama does sometimes return to bed at night quite tired from the training. She always seems so drained and her muscles are sometimes so tight. I offer her a massage, and that seems to help, though I don’t mind that in the least.” A tiny smile once more returned to her lips as she reminisced over her wife once more. Lifting her head back up, Sin raised her right hand up to her mouth to politely giggle. “I did get in trouble one time for offering a snack to the poor thing. I had brought Reficul-sama some treats to help give her strength for a late-night training session, and I naturally wanted to be gracious, so I asked if he would like one. Reficul-sama had to remind me to not be too overly kind to it lest I spoil it. But it’s hard at times; I enjoy spoiling the pitiful things.”

Satanick could not help but smile along at Sin’s recount of this tale. It certainly sounded like quite the experience for these two ladies to discipline such a creature, though Sin was much less involved in this process, he was sure; her main duty lie in Reficul alone. “Yes, I suppose it is fun to spoil the pathetic things.”

The lilting laughter, jovial banter, and drifting tones of music helped fill the small silence that came between the two, though it was a comfortable one. Satanick knew how blissful silence could be, while also having experienced the opposite side of the spectrum. At the very least, this silence could be appreciated in its warm tones. After a few moments, Sin began to happily chat with him about the affairs of his world, particularly how his family was doing. Discussing the matters of one’s life was always a pleasant thing, and Satanick relayed all he could recently recall concerning his wife and son. Sin seemed to appreciate such topics, as she too shared details of her own son.

“I do wish your son the best,” Sin replied. “I hope that one day he is able to marry that girl he’s been dating.”

Satanick let out a heavy sigh as he recalled the one thing that his poor son was missing out on. “Yes, but it’s such a shame that he remains a virgin! Lil and I have tried to convince him to be a bit more firm, but the poor boy is too shy for his own good. A real travesty if you ask me.”

Before Sin had a chance to reply, a cloud of black appeared at her right side. Quickly manifesting inside of it was Reficul herself. As her teleportation magic dispersed from around her, Satanick could see this petite woman’s red eyes glowing. Her long white hair draped around her in waves over her long, black dress – a simple yet sleek style, but one that perfectly suited someone such as Reficul. Her pointed wings on her back seemed to stand a bit more alert, and Satanick could not help but question the aura that seemed to exude from her. In a way, she seemed a bit perturbed. Perhaps he had gone too far with his topic of conversation? Of course, that did not bother him in the least; he enjoyed teasing the queen.

Despite how she arrived, Reficul quickly composed herself, appearing as if nothing was amiss. Her dark ruby gaze now traveled from Satanick towards Sin. Her facial features seemed to relax a bit more upon seeing her, and Sin seemed just as happy to see her. The only way Satanick could explain such looks was with the word devotion. These two certainly were incredibly loyal to each other. In a way, this made his lovey-dovey nature swell with a sense delight.

“Reficul-sama!” Sin cheerfully greeted her return. “Welcome back.” She slid slightly closer to her, and Reficul took such a warm reception with ease. She gave a soft smile to her wife, reaching out to her to give her a light embrace. The long, somewhat lacy sleeves of her dress draped over her wrists as she wrapped her arms around Sin’s shoulders. A light peck of a kiss was placed upon Sin’s forehead, and the snake giggled in delight, her cheeks becoming pink with a light blush.

Reficul pulled back, her eyes traveling up and down Sin as if giving a quick inspection of her most treasured possession. Seemingly satisfied, Reficul offered another soft smile to her wife. Satanick too notice that she was gently clasping Sin’s hand in hers.

It would be impolite to interrupt such a wholesome moment between the two – it was not every day one got to see the sweeter side of Reficul – yet Satanick’s mind raced with several questions that he craved answers to.

“Yes, welcome back, Reficul,” Satanick greeted her. “A shame you didn’t greet the host earlier, but I am happy to see you have returned.” A smirk curled on his lips as he watched the devil’s gaze return to him with mild agitation. The look spoke of one that silently agreed that she would much prefer to spend more time with Sin this evening. Of course, Satanick could not blame her for such a thing. Still, he continued on. “We were just discussing how everyone is doing over in our worlds.”

Her eyes focused on Satanick, the devil coolly responded, “Yes, I got the tail end of something you were saying.” Her eyes seemed to flash for a brief moment as she continued, “I do hope you weren’t being too crude again, Satanick.”

“Me? Crude?” Satanick raised his right hand up to place it over his chest. “Why I never.” The exaggeration was clearly an annoyance to Reficul, yet he could appreciate the polite giggle from Sin.

“Don’t worry, Reficul-sama,” Sin spoke up. “I’m having a good time.” She closed her eyes as her bright smile continued to shine on her face. This seemed to relax the overprotective spouse as Reficul’s shoulders drooped into a more relaxed position. Satanick watched as she gently squeezed Sin’s hand in hers in a confirming manner.

“Good. I am glad to hear he is behaving himself.”

That word. Ah, yes! Satanick’s eyes lit up as he remembered quite the important thing that needed to be addressed. “Oh, yes, Reficul. May I borrow you for a moment?” The woman’s gaze once more returned to Satanick, and he could not help but chuckle at the small look of agitation on her face. “It will only take a little while. I promise there will be plenty of time to enjoy your yourselves together before the big meeting.” He could see Reficul thinking this through, and he knew that her logical side knew this to be true. Ever analytical; beauty and brains, one could say. Satanick grinned at that thought as he internally complimented the other ruler.

Once more, Sin spoke up. “It’s fine, Reficul-sama. I’ll be perfectly fine.” Her own ruby eyes met Reficul’s as she reaffirmed her words. “I think I’ll go grab a bite to eat. I’ve been eager to try some of the food over there.” The others followed her gaze as she now stared at the far left wall where a myriad of tables were lined up, filled to the brim with all manner of hors d’oeuvres and pastries one could imagine. Sin continued, “I’d be happy to fill a plate for you, too, Reficul-sama.”

Reficul nodded, once more seemingly pleased with the fact that Sin would not be upset upon her having to be dragged away again. “That sounds lovely. Thank you.” Reficul leaned in once more to give Sin an appreciate kiss, this time on the right cheek. Her eyes closed momentarily as she lingered there for a bit, causing Sin to blush a bit harder and giggle in both embarrassment and delight.

“Reficul-sama,” she whispered out. She sounded as if she wanted to say more but didn’t.

Satanick simply stood there, his right hand now resting on his hip as he watched the exchange. “Ah, young love,” he sighed out in nostalgia. “It really is so sweet.” As a being that was quite “ancient” in modern terms, Satanick could not help but tease Reficul that she was younger despite her centuries of living.

With that, Reficul finally pulled away from Sin. She ignored Satanick for the time being as she focused her attention on Sin. A final squeeze to the hand and a whispered, “I’ll join you soon,” from Reficul, Sin cheerfully slithered away, her white dress swishing around her lengthy tail as it trailed behind her. Reficul watched her as she safely made her way over to the table before turning back to Satanick. Her eyes flashed for a brief moment as she gave him an annoyed look. “You really know how to kill a mood, Satanick.”

The devil lord laughed upon hearing this, unable to contain his amusement. “It’s lovely to see you too, Reficul.”

Reficul simply crossed her arms over her chest, her eyebrow cocked in puzzlement as to what he was getting at. “So, what do you want that can’t wait until the meeting? I was hoping to spend some quality time with Sin since you decided to throw this extravaganza.”

Proud of his achievement, Satanick gave a cocky grin. “You know me, Reficul. A boring old meeting is simply… too boring. This is much more fun, wouldn’t you agree?” He eagerly anticipated Reficul to roll her eyes at this, though he could see from her body language that she agreed with him. Pity she did not indulge him with an eye roll; he supposed he’d have to wait for that later.

Her stance now becoming more relaxed, Reficul coaxed him, “Well, go on. What did you want to ask me about?”

Satanick chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the wall in a casual manner. Still, if he had to say so himself, he did look quite refined even as he propped his right foot against the wall. The castle caretakers might be a bit upset that he could leave scuff marks on the wall, but he did not mind that either. Reficul simply looked at him, a somewhat bored expression now on her face at the devil’s carefree attitude.

“So, I heard you have a new pet, eh, Reficul? Care to explain why he isn’t here for the devil’s meeting.” Satanick’s lips curved upwards into a sly grin as the gears in his mind began turning. “He _is_ one of us, after all.”


	2. Let's Make a Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo! So sorry I haven't posted in a while! I feel so bad when I take forever to get out new chapters or oneshots. February is always a busy work month, and I don't understand why since it's a short month. XD
> 
> I am actively working on the continuing series; I just have soooooo many ideas and oneshots started with so many other great characters. I hope you look forward to them, too. You'll get to see Envi, Glasses, Lil, Taffy, Olive, and of course the lovely devil family with dear uncle. ;) <3 
> 
> In the meantime, I bring more of Origins. Thank you all for your love and support! It really does mean the world. <3

“You know, Reficul, I did invite _every_ devil to this event tonight,” Satanick continued on his tirade. He smirked down at her with his not-so-subtle hint. Of course, the red-eyed beauty simply stared up at him unamused. His long, golden earrings jingled a bit as he tilted his head to the side, awaiting her response.

Reficul finally obliged Satanick’s indulgent attitude, rolling her deep ruby-like eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest as she let out a resigned sigh. “Yes. You may be right, but as I’m sure you’re aware, he’s quite the airhead.” The white-haired demon let out a light sigh as she said this, exasperation clearly written on her face. “It’s quite the chore getting him to obey. Such a stubborn idiot.”

Interest piqued, Satanick’s mouth turned upwards into a grin. “Oh? What’s this? A demon that even the great Reficul can’t handle.” The annoyed look she gave him only made Satanick snicker more. “Looks like he’s giving you a run for your money,” Satanick further teased, earning him a swift elbow to his gut that was barely imperceptible. He let out a light grunt, soon followed by more chuckling. The devil lord slid away from the wall to straighten up. Uncrossing his arms from his chest – a gleam in his eyes – the man continued. “You know, I could lend you my assistance with training this pet of yours.”

Reficul cocked her left eyebrow as if she had just heard the most ludicrous statement from him. “Do you doubt my ability to properly handle such a creature? Please, Satanick; you know that I’m more than capable of it.” Her own sly grin softly appeared on her lips, and Satanick could see the mischief in her own eyes. A pleasant surprise to be able to see even a hint of that demeanor from her; his own grin deepened at that.

“I don’t doubt that for a second, Reficul. Though, I must admit, it must be tiring for both Sin and you.”

At the mention of her wife, Reficul’s expression changed. It was as if she was on high alert now, her focus shifting from the man in front of her over towards the dashing snake woman at the buffet tables. It appeared she had found someone to talk to – an equally gorgeous woman with long, somber pink hair. The two seemed to be conversing happily, both seen with smiles and laughter. Satanick smiled seeing both of their wives exchanging pleasantries. His eyes now darted over to Reficul to see her gaze still focused on Sin. From what he could see at face-value, it seemed as if she was… longing. A coy grin on his lips, Satanick could not help but be pleased that such perfect timing was on his side.

As a man of like passions, Satanick knew just how important it was to spend some quality time with one’s significant other. Lil was a feisty woman who knew exactly what she wanted. A passionate woman, to be sure, but also a demon in the sheets; he supposed all succubus fit that category. Be that as it may, Satanick could appreciate the times she was around for them to spend some quality time together. Both of them were what some would call “free-spirited.” In all fairness, it suited both of them perfectly fine. They were not co-dependent upon each other, yet when they were together, one could not deny the flames of passion that ignited and invigorated the two.

Nonetheless, Reficul was a woman that was devoted to one woman, and one woman alone. Yes, she had another lover on the side, but her main desire would be for the one whom her eyes would not leave. Satanick could appreciate that sentiment. Besides, this was a rare side to see of Reficul.

The conniving smile on the devil’s lips did not falter as he realized just how sublime this would work to his advantage.

“I’ve been pretty bored lately,” Satanick began, snapping the shorter devil out of her focus. Her eyes concentrated up at him once more. “Believe it or not, as busy as I am, I do get tired of the mundane. It would be nice to pass the time playing with a pet, wouldn’t you agree?”

Reficul did not immediately respond, though Satanick figured as much. However, a flicker of recognition flashed in her eyes. Smart as ever, Satanick knew she was fully aware of what he was proposing.

“It will give Sin and you some quality alone time, Refi,” Satanick cooed out. He should have expected her to react in such a manner, but it still surprised him a bit when he received a quick swat to the head courtesy of her black wing’s ability to become an appendage. All he could do was laugh at such a thing. The devil lord knew that such a reaction indicated his point had gotten through to her. 

Determining it would be best to not rile her up further –at least, for a few minutes – Satanick decided to change the topic to one more befitting of the current situation. He turned his eyes to a large ornate clock on the far side of the room, checking the time. Reficul’s eyes followed along. “We only have an hour before the meeting begins, Reficul. Perhaps you should head home to fetch him.”

Looking back to her, Satanick noticed that Reficul was wearing her own sly smile now. Tonight really was a treat being able to see all of these rare expressions from her.

“I never said he wasn’t here,” the woman said, her voice as level-headed and cool per usual. “I have him leashed out in the hallway, waiting like a good boy.”

Satanick had to admit he found such an idea hilarious while simultaneously erotic; after all, he was a “tasteful” man, or so he liked to think. A toothy grin flashed before he once more stared out across the ballroom over his sea of guests. It truly was a lovely sight to see such activity here in his home once more.

A few moments passed between them in silence as the music and multiple voices drifted listlessly throughout the ballroom. Servants and staff that drifted by were the perfect addition to this already extravagant event, making it much easier for Satanick to pluck a glass of champagne off one of the trays of a passing waiter. He snagged one for Reficul, as well, and she graciously accepted it. The two stood there for a few more seconds in silence as Satanick took a sip from the sparkling beverage before he decided to fish for more information from her.

“So, what exactly did this big, bad devil do?” Satanick asked, though his words and tone betrayed his usual mocking mannerism. He only knew bits and pieces of what Reficul had told him, though it would be nice to get the exact details of what had led up to these strange events.

The way Reficul’s eyes now locked onto his when she slowly turned her head told Satanick all he needed to know that this was no joking matter. “He tried to destroy that Gray world, you know. If it had not been for the efforts of the world’s denizens and myself, he very well could have succeeded.” Holding the thin stem of her champagne glass, the woman’s eyes returned to the far side of the room. They locked onto the devil in all black who was still hiding out in the corner, hoping to go unnoticed. “I don’t think it’s a good idea that Kcalb is here with him, either. Though, I suppose Kcalb is rather shy and would not attempt anything. The airhead – well, he’s another case. At least he’s incapacitated for the time being.” She raised the glass to her lips to lightly take a drink from it, her sigh cause the glass to fog a bit.

As Reficul rambled on with ideas that were more akin to the situation at hand, Satanick could not help but rehearse the words she had just said. Yes, he knew that Reficul’s new pet had invaded that place, but to imagine an entire world being shattered by one man’s actions….

“Reficul.”

Noticing Satanick’s tone was a bit deeper, Reficul turned her attention back to him. His expression was a curiosity, but she could also see how serious he had become. His eyes slightly narrowed, though a gleam flickered in their amethyst depths, Satanick met her gaze to declare, “Let’s make a deal, shall we?”

That was an old saying, wasn’t it – to not make deals with a devil? Reficul could only find that silly fable laughable these days. Yet here she was – entertaining the idea of striking up one with a being in the same class as her.

With a tiny grin across her own lips, Reficul’s eyes flashed as she responded, “What did you have in mind?” A part of her began to get a bit excited at the prospect that perhaps this bargain could afford her some much more desirable time with Sin in the near future.

The devil of the Flame Underworld let out a deep sigh as the further he sat here, the more disgusted and annoyed he felt. This was a humiliating and unwelcome position to be put in, and all thanks to that Reficul! He really did not understand why he had to be at this meeting at all. Why the hell would he want to be in the same room as any of the other devils?! The only two he had ever dealt with had been thanks to that Gray world. Remembering that only aggravated the hot-headed ruler further, and he gritted his teeth together in a snarl as his eyebrows did the same.

Stupid! All of this was so stupid!

It was bad enough that he had failed to steal that other devil’s powers, but now he wound up like some sort of animal! That damn man! Ivlis hated the probability of seeing him at this gathering. How he would love to get revenge if he could. Of course, that was only wishful, foolish thinking on his part. There would be no way he could possibly defeat that man, and not simply due to the fact that he was bound in the hallway. That wretch had taken his powers from him, leaving Ivlis at the mercy of anyone that dare try to fight against him. Sadly, this was his new reality now that he had “Queen-sama” to deal with. Practically every single day he was leashed and trained like a dog. As degrading as that was, he was also growing accustomed to her “nightly” trainings. What a dreadful thing – a ruler over an entire realm reduced to nothing but a pet and a sex toy. Even that wife of hers did not seem to mind that Reficul was doing these things! They were all sick, in Ivlis’s opinion. Twisted, filthy demons that deserved such a title. Though, he supposed he was one to talk….

Left alone in this hallway – arms tingly bound behind his back with ropes, his ankles locked in shackles attached to heavy balls and chains – the flame devil had plenty of time to ruminate on such things. The red collar around his neck felt just as heavy as these ankle straps, the matching leash hanging down in front of him. How did things wind up so terrible?

All thanks to that blasted Gray devil and that stupid world….

Ivlis did his best to drone out the music, chatter, and laughter behind the large double doors that led into a banquet hall of some sort. Annoying, to say the least. He had received the invitation to come to such a thing, but he was absolutely adamant about not attending. What idiotic devil would turn a simple meeting into some sort of extravaganza? Ridiculous, if you asked Ivlis. Of course, not a soul asked Ivlis for his opinion. After all, pets shouldn’t talk back to their masters or hold such opinions.

This meeting was going to be awful, wasn’t it?

Ivlis could feel his ire growing and his jaw starting to ache from clenching his teeth so tightly, a scowl clearly etched across his features. He shifted his weight slightly to ease his aching body. One saving grace was that he was at least alone out here. Thankfully, nobody had seen him in such a sorry state, and he’d rather keep it that way. Still, being left with only his thoughts for companionship was not exactly pleasant either. He closed his bright eyes, hoping to shut out these drifting thoughts. If only life could be that simple – to shut the world away and start anew.

The soothing yet upbeat tones droned on through the closed doors as Ivlis did what he could to remain calm. Soon, the clicking of a door handle being turned and the music’s notes drifting out in increased pitch alerted Ivlis that someone was coming. His heavy eyelids opened as he glared out of the comers of his eyes towards his left. The tapping of two sets of shoes had Ivlis’s heart racing slightly, hating the idea that more than one person would see him in such a pathetic state. Through the veil of his long, dark gray hair that framed his face, Ivlis could see two sets of shoes approaching him. He easily recognized the pair of black heels that belonged to Reficul. It was pretty hard to ignore them when they had been earlier dug into his left thigh when she had given him the command to sit still while she entered the ball room. However, he did not recognize the pair of black dress shoes draped underneath equally dark pants.

As the pair grew closer, Ivlis allowed his eyes to travel up the length of his “guests” in front of him. His neck tilted back a bit into the usual position to meet the familiar red eyes of his Queen-sama as she stared down at him, a look of stoicism, annoyance, and mischief perfectly blended into her features. As always, Ivlis never quite knew what she was thinking. In a way, he was glad about such a thing, yet he had to admit that it also left him feeling quite anxious. However, the masculine frame to her left had Ivlis’s heart beating even faster at this unknown acquaintance of Reficul’s. Though, from the context clues alone, Ivlis could determine just who this might be.

Turning his narrowed gaze to the right, Ivlis’s golden eyes traveled further up the tall stature of this man. He was certainly dressed in a refined manner, though it was personally too flashy for Ivlis’s tastes. The long cape, the frilly cravat at his neck, and the dangling earrings were a bit too excessive. However, the man’s face bore the same expression that Reficul had, albeit it a bit more cocky with a slight grin across his lips. Deep purple eyes burned down into Ivlis’s, and his features seemed shadowed by both his dark hair and spiraled, branch-like horns. The look was one that filled Ivlis with a combination of disgust, anger, and wariness.

So, this was the culprit behind this meeting, huh? Well, he certainly fit the bill of a pompous devil that insisted on having a party thrown for such a simplistic and pointless gathering.

His neck still craned upwards, Ivlis could only stare into the mischievous face of this man as he stared right back at him. Ivlis felt the need to shift his gaze away from such a look, yet his stubbornness would not be so easily swayed. After what felt like an eternal staring contest, the man leaned forward, bending down at the waist to get more on Ivlis’s eye level. Ivlis naturally felt his body recoil and press as far back into the wall as he could to put extra distance between himself and the man that clearly did not understand boundaries when meeting somebody. The light jingle of his long earrings tinkled in the air before the man’s somewhat deep voice began speaking. A smile across his lips that spoke of both friendliness with undertones of ill-will, Ivlis suppressed a small chill that traveled down the base of his neck and throughout his spine.

“Welcome to the Pitch Black World. My name is Satanick, and I am the ruler of this kingdom.”

Yes; Ivlis could already tell that tonight truly was going to be an awful one.


	3. Never-ending Nightmare

Rubbing the feeling back into his wrists, Ivlis reluctantly followed Reficul whilst she trailed behind Satanick. Well, “followed” was the operative word being used; Ivlis was not given much choice as Reficul would simply tug on the leash casually held in her left hand at any instance when he slowed down his walk. Even with how she portrayed such slack, each yank was powerful enough that Ivlis practically stumbled over his own feet when she would insist he pick up the pace. He growled and grumbled about such an embarrassing display, but there was really no helping the matter. At least he was thankful that the rest of the ballroom guests had filtered out by now, leaving only a few prying eyes on him. Ivlis clenched his jaw tightly, and he could feel his blood boiling. He tried to keep his composure at least a little – to try to reclaim some dignity back. He realized that being led around like some sort of pet was truly the furthest thing from regality.

Another pull that lunged him forward snapped Ivlis out of his self-pity reverie. He caught himself before he completely rammed into Reficul. He could only imagine the punishment should he even accidentally touch her. The pair halted in their steps as Ivlis regained his footing.

“Do try to keep up, will you?” The red-eyed devil looked over her shoulder towards Ivlis as the trio zig-zagged throughout the room towards whatever destination they had in mind.

“Alright, geez!” Ivlis hissed back, his golden eyes sparking as he retorted. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how brash they sounded, and he felt slightly ill at this. He watched as Reficul’s eyes narrowed slightly and practically glowed thanks to his back-talk. Ivlis feared what reaction she would produce to teach him a lesson.

Miraculously, Reficul simply kept her malice-laced glance attached to his. She might be shorter than him, yet Ivlis tried to fight the timidity he felt when she would stare at him in such a way. “Excuse me? I don’t believe I heard you correctly.”

Holding back the urge to truly scream at this woman’s cocky attitude, Ivlis took a deep breath in as he forcefully replied, “My apologies, Queen-Sama.” Even saying such a trained sentence left him feeling disgusted. Worthless. Less of a being than she was despite both of their status as devils.

A tiny curve of her lip lifting upwards, Reficul nodded towards him before turning back to continue her excursion with him. “Good boy.” Once she had turned away, Ivlis attempted to control the look of disgust his expression took on. This woman practically had eyes in the back of her head, so it would not have been too much a shock should she have decided to unleash some of her fury on him. Be that as it may, Ivlis could only let out another deep sigh as Reficul now glanced around the room, seemingly confused as to where she was next supposed to go. That alone was funny enough to Ivlis, but he kept that thought to himself. Her perturbed facial expression said it all.

“What an insufferable man,” she whispered out underneath her breath. “Where did he wander off to?”

The confusion was now on Ivlis as he tried to determine just what she was talking about. His gaze finally lifting from the back of Reficul’s long white hair after she had turned around, Ivlis noticed that the tall, tree-horned devil was no longer escorting them. In fact, he seemingly seemed to have vanished. His curious eyes scanned the remaining sea of guests, hoping to catch a glimpse of the culprit behind this entire fiasco. First he came to introduce himself and have Reficul release him from his bonds – though she insisted the leash stay on until they reached the meeting hall – yet the head of their little “party” had suddenly disappeared. Even worse, now Ivlis felt stranded in this sea of other demons and strange folk. His eyes cast quick glances around, and whenever they would meet those of a passerby, he would immediately break eye contact. Ivlis was not a social being, and even less so today. He did not particularly care what others thought, but it was fairly impossible to not wonder just what they were thinking of a devil such as himself being led around like some sort of animal.

Sickening.

Horrible.

Unfair.

The entire situation left Ivlis more nauseated and hot-headed by the minute.

Would this nightmare never end?

The tinkling of glass entered the man’s pointed ears, and he faced the direction of it. He realized that he was not the only one hearing this sudden noise. The light chatter and music had faded from the room, and now the booming voice of that chipper devil rang out. Standing in the middle of the room with a champagne glass in one hand and a silver fork in the other, the party’s host began his announcement.

“I would like to thank you all for coming to this little gathering of mine! It has been such a lovely time getting to see all of you lovely people once again. You have been spectacular to come enjoy such an evening. But sadly, I must end the festivities for now. Being a devil means all work and little time for play some days, I’m afraid.” With that being said, Satanick raised the glass higher up as if in a toast. “Thank you, my dear guests. Fear not! We will have many more extravagant get-togethers soon.”

His sparkling yet deep eyes now trailed across the room, meeting the eyes of a select few. Ivlis noticed his gaze was now making their course over Reficul and inevitably towards Ivlis. Even with the brief eye contact, Ivlis felt a wave of disgust wash over him. He could already sense that this type of devil was going to be highly intolerable to put up with. Why did he have to even be at such a ridiculous thing?! 

Satanick continued on. “That being said, it is time to say goodnight to my lovely friends and hello to the assembling of us devils.” With that, Satanick lowered his arm as if to announce that his “grand speech” had ended, and a light round of applause filled the room. That smarmy grin still plastered on his face, Satanick nodded his head forward as if in a polite bow. The light rustling of bodies and voices once more filled the room as many of the remaining attendees began to make their way towards the rest of their party members as they began to shuffle towards the exit.

“Reficul-sama.”

Ivlis swiveled his head back towards the familiar, low voice of Sin as she slithered her way over to them. This woman always seemed to have such a polite and kind demeanor, yet it still perturbed Ivlis that she could be with someone as cold as the demon holding his leash. Nevertheless, he took notice of how the black-winged beauty’s stern expression softened upon seeing her wife approach her. Still keeping ahold of Ivlis’s leash, Reficul opened her arms to embrace the lady in white, who giggled upon reaching her.

Ivlis looked away from such a display of affection. He honestly could not understand how two people that seemed to be polar opposites could be together. Then again, he had noticed how Reficul was around Sin when compared to him and others. Be that as it may, Ivlis could not help but see her in such a negative light with her penchant for rough training sessions. Besides, this Sin might appear kinder than her counterpart, but she was still just as guilty. Was this woman just as insane as Reficul, taking pleasure in allowing her wife to freely do what she wanted with others? It sickened the flame devil all over again to be reminded of such things. All he could envision was Reficul’s form atop of him as she pinned him down to do whatever she pleased….

The tightening collar around his throat jerked Ivlis out of his thoughts, and he practically choked as it pressed into his windpipe. Letting out a grunt, Ivlis returned his glare down at Reficul, who was no longer in the embrace of that serpent. In fact, a quick scan round the room told Ivlis all he needed to know when he noticed only a handful of people left; more specifically, the handful of demons left. Some he did not recognize, yet one tall figure hiding off in the corner of the room certainly stood out. His black scleras with the white pupils were narrowed, his eyebrows furrowed, and his arms tightly crossed over his chest. And his eyes were piercing right through Ivlis.

This man – that horrible, wretched devil…. It was his fault he as in this position to begin with! If he hadn’t taken his powers, Ivlis would not have to be paraded around like some sort of creature that needed to be tamed. If only he hadn’t taken Ivlis to be some sort of fool. His pride would not let this stand! How desperately Ivlis wanted to rush towards that man and get his revenge. It was his fault…. His entire fault….

Ivlis’s teeth were clenched so tightly his jaw ached, and he could feel his body heating up. Perhaps he could somehow get retribution? Wishful thinking, he knew; there would be no way for him to easily get away from Reficul. He highly doubted that the other rulers would turn a blind eye should he try to even approach this man. After all, he was sure that the failed invasion was the talk of other worlds like some piece of juicy gossip. That thought alone was enough to send Ivlis into another internal frenzy to imagine that he could be looked down upon and mocked.

Despicable!

Deplorable!

“Yoo hoo ~!”

Ivlis practically jumped backwards when the face of Satanick entered his field of vision, blocking him from glaring daggers over at Kcalb. The stern drilling of black and white eyes were now replaced by sparkling yet dark amethysts. Did this man seriously have no sense of personal boundaries?!

“What?” Ivlis found himself hissing out, wanting to raise his clenched claws to push back this space invader. His response was that of the champagne glass in Satanick’s hand now being held directly in front of his face. His golden eyes focused on the light colored liquid for a moment, watching the tiny bubbles move around in its confines. Through the glass, he once more met the eyes of Satanick, who still grinned as he happily presented this beverage to him.

“You are my guest here tonight. Surely one relaxing drink would be pleasant before we head to the meeting hall.” Satanick nimbly twirled the stem of the glass between his fingers, allowing the liquid to swish around gently as if entice the flame devil. True enough that his throat burned from not having anything to drink since arriving here – and the fire that internally raged inside of him – yet Ivlis was not that stupid. Why should he willfully take a drink from such a strange man in such an unknown location?

“I don’t want it.” Ivlis furrowed his eyebrows as he met Satanick’s gaze head on. The man did not seem too bothered by this, but a mocking frown was given to him in reply. “Why would I – gck –?!” Another constriction around his neck had Ivlis choking on his words. Both sets of eyes now traveled over to Reficul, who stood there with glowing red ones.

A peeved expression on her face, her voice remained level as she spoke. “Just take the drink like a good boy so we can get this meeting over with. The sooner the better.” Her eyes sparked a moment as her lip curled upwards on the left-hand side of her face. “I’d hate to lose out on any precious time away from my home thanks to your attitude.” She did not even need to say his name or any of the other derogatory terms she had for him – Ivlis knew whom she was clearly speaking to.

Practically snarling with his pointed teeth now showing, Ivlis turned back to face Satanick, who once more wore a pleased, cocky grin. Reaching out, Ivlis roughly snatched the glass from Satanick’s presenting hand. An anxiousness he could not describe screamed inside of him to be mindful of such things – to keep his guard up in this foreign land – but his anger won the best of him. The rim pressed to his lips, Ivlis tilted his head back as he downed the clear, almost sweet-tasting liquid. A stranger, salty flavor touched his tongue for a brief moment, and his face scrunched up in disgust. What kind of alcohol was this? Raising his head back up, Ivlis flicked his tongue off his teeth, trying to dispel the strange flavor combination that he had been met with. He shoved the glass back towards the watching devil, who seemed a bit amazed that Ivlis had drunk the beverage so quickly.

“Happy now?” Ivlis snarled. He felt a bit worried as he said this, as he knew that his words were meant towards both of these devils around him, yet he kept his fiery gaze on Satanick. Hopefully, this would help him not be met with too harsh a punishment from Reficul if he directed his hatred towards this other man. Besides, he deserved such malice anyway; Satanick was highly annoying and the one that had caused this minor upset in the first place.

It took Satanick a moment to retrieve the empty, wet glass presented to him, but he took it back between his left fingers. Briefly, his skin met that of the rough scales of Ivlis’s claws. It was a new sensation for him to feel this type of texture on hands. Flame demons seemed to be quite mysterious creatures, to say the least. However, the one thing that fascinated Satanick the most was the defiant, sparking eyes of the being in front of him. That stern, hate-filled expression that showed a myriad of lines etched onto that skin…. Satanick loved a challenge of breaking down such a cocky attitude.

But not yet….

All good things came to those who waited….

Anticipation bubbling up inside of the devil lord, Satanick simply offered another signature grin of his as he took a step back and spread his left arm out. A quick look towards his left allowed another large set of double doors to begin swinging inwards, revealing a long, brightly lit corridor of more polished flooring. All eyes followed along to this newly presented area. Being the gracious host that he was, Satanick turned on his heel to begin leading the way. His long legs quickly ate up the distance from the center of the ballroom over towards the double doors. A quick stop at the nearby buffet tables that lined the wall, Satanick placed the empty glass down and fork on the pure white tablecloth. His eyes quickly glanced at the tiny droplets that slid down the inner surface to pool at the bottom of the flute. Whatever little dregs remain behind, Satanick could only expectantly wait for the real fun to begin. However, business was to be dealt with first.

Looking back over his right shoulder, Satanick called out for his fellow lords to follow along behind him to the main meeting area. The clicking of dress shoes and heels echoed off of the pristine floor as one by one each of the devils began to join Satanick in the gaping maw of the doors.

Reficul naturally began to walk over, and Ivlis had little choice in the matter to follow along. Not wanting to be pulled any further, he forced himself to move his heavy legs to keep up with her graceful walk. Each step seemed to become harder and harder to take as a sense of dread began to fill Ivlis’s stomach and cement began to fill his feet and legs. This little line of world leaders spoke of a funeral procession; exactly whose, Ivlis could not pinpoint for certain. However, one thing was beginning to take root inside of his already heated, churning gut, and it took an incredible amount of control for Ivlis to swallow back his already stunted pride.

The nightmare he longed for to cease loomed forebodingly.


End file.
